You Didn't Get Into Construction to Do Paperwork.
Running a contracting business is demanding enough without chasing receipts, worrying about payroll deadlines, or guessing at your job margins. We handle the back office — accounting, tax, and payroll — so you can stay focused on the work that actually makes you money.
The Accounting Challenges Contractors Actually Face
You only hear from your accountant at tax time
You email a question in July and don't hear back for two weeks. Then April rolls around and they're suddenly all over you. That's not a partnership — that's a once-a-year transaction.
Tax planning happens after the fact
You bought a $60K truck in November, but no one talked to you about Section 179 before you signed the loan. The deduction's still there — but the structure could have saved you more.
Job costing is a guessing game
You finish a project and aren't sure if you actually made money on it. Without job costing built into your books, profitable-looking jobs can quietly drain your margins for months.
Payroll is more complex than it should be
Field workers, overtime, subs, 1099s — construction payroll has more moving pieces than most industries. The penalties for getting it wrong are steep, and the time it takes you to manage it is time you're not bidding work.
What Goes Wrong When Contractors Use a General Accountant
Most general accounting firms are perfectly competent — for general businesses. But construction has quirks that don't show up in retail, professional services, or restaurants. Here's what we typically see when contractors switch to us from a non-specialist firm.
Equipment deductions get left on the table
A general accountant may default to standard depreciation when Section 179 or bonus depreciation would save you more. The deduction is still legal a year later — but the planning opportunity is gone.
Cash basis vs. accrual confusion at year-end
Contractors often need to think about both depending on contract size and revenue. A general accountant rarely flags this proactively, and the wrong choice can mean paying tax on income you haven't actually collected yet.
Job costing never gets set up properly
Books get organized by month — not by job. You can't see which projects made you money and which barely broke even. By the time you figure it out, you've already bid five more jobs the same way.
Subcontractor and 1099 tracking is a year-end fire drill
If sub payments aren't tracked monthly, January becomes a scramble of W-9 chases and corrected 1099s. The IRS penalties for late or wrong 1099s can run into thousands.
The relationship is reactive, not proactive
You call them — they don't call you. No mid-year tax planning, no equipment purchase strategy, no entity review. You're paying for filing services and calling it a relationship.
Accounting Services Built for Contractors
Everything your contracting business needs — handled by one team that knows your industry.
Monthly Bookkeeping
Bank and credit card reconciliation, general ledger, balance sheet, and P&L — every month without fail, live in QuickBooks Online.
Tax Preparation & Planning
Business and personal returns, equipment depreciation, Section 179, and year-round planning to minimize what you owe.
Payroll Services
Full-service payroll through Payroll Freedom — field workers, overtime, and subcontractor tracking handled accurately.
Cash Flow Visibility
Monthly financials that show you exactly where you stand — so you can make confident decisions about bids, hiring, and equipment.
Fixed Asset & Depreciation Tracking
Equipment, vehicles, and tools tracked properly so your depreciation deductions are maximized every year.
Retirement Plans
SEP-IRA, Solo 401(k), and group plans to help you build personal wealth while reducing your taxable income.
We Work With All Types of Construction Professionals
From general contractors to specialty trades — if you build things in Illinois or Wisconsin, we know your world.
What to Look For in a Contractor Accountant
Not every CPA firm is set up to serve contractors well. If you're evaluating accountants — whether or not you end up choosing us — these are the five things worth checking before you sign anything.
Real experience with construction clients
Ask how many contractors they currently serve, and what types. A firm that does one or two contractors casually isn't going to know the difference between job costing and class tracking, or how to optimize Section 179 across multiple equipment purchases.
Proactive communication — not just tax season
You should hear from your accountant year-round, not just in March and April. Ask: "What does monthly contact actually look like?" If the answer is vague, the answer is "almost none."
Modern technology — ideally QuickBooks Online
If your accountant still wants you to mail in a folder of receipts every month, walk away. QuickBooks Online connects directly to your bank, your credit cards, and your accountant — so your books are current in real time, not 60 days behind.
Everything under one roof — or at least closely coordinated
If you have one firm for accounting, another for payroll, and a third for tax, you're the one stitching them together. A firm that handles all three eliminates the dropped handoffs and the "let me check with your other guy" delays.
Transparent pricing
You shouldn't have to wait through three discovery calls to find out what something costs. A firm that publishes its pricing structure (or at least gives you a clear estimate after one conversation) respects your time and is confident in its value.
How Accounting Freedom Stacks Up Against That Checklist
We've been working with contractors in Illinois and Wisconsin for over 40 years. Here's how we score on the five-point checklist above — judge for yourself.
Decades of contractor experience
Contractors and skilled trades have been a core part of our client base since 1981. We know the rhythms, the tax opportunities, and the seasonal cash flow swings.
Year-round, not just March–April
You're assigned a dedicated Client Advisor who knows your business. Monthly check-ins, quick response to questions, and proactive outreach when something needs your attention.
We live in QuickBooks Online
QBO is our default. We work directly in your file so your books are always current — no waiting for month-end PDFs to find out where you stand.
One firm for accounting, tax, payroll & planning
Through Accounting Freedom and Payroll Freedom, you get every back-office service under one roof — coordinated by one team, with no dropped handoffs.
What Does Contractor Accounting Cost?
We believe you should be able to estimate what working with us costs without filling out a form or waiting for a sales call. Here's how our pricing works for contractors.
Three tiers — Core, Core+, and CorePro
Most contractors fit into one of our three packages depending on how much support you want. Core covers monthly accounting and business tax compliance. Core+ adds proactive tax planning and a monthly advisory relationship — most contractors land here. CorePro adds 90-day cash flow forecasting, KPI dashboards, and a full annual business review.
Your final price depends on transaction volume, the number of bank and credit card accounts, equipment and fixed assets, and how many states you operate in. A typical small-to-mid-size contractor will fall somewhere between our Core and Core+ starting prices, plus complexity adjustments based on your specific business.
The fastest way to get a real number for your business is the Pricing Calculator — it walks through the same questions we'd ask on a discovery call and gives you a customized estimate in under three minutes.
Contractor Accounting Questions We Hear Often
Let's Talk About Your Contracting Business.
Schedule a free consultation. We'll walk you through how we can take the accounting burden off your plate — so you can stop managing your accountant and start managing your business.
Illinois: 847-949-8373 | Wisconsin: 262-375-2440